


Hold Me Close

by JakkuCrew (fromstars)



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Exactly What It Says on the Tin, Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon, Redeemed Ben Solo, knightpilot, poelo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-19 01:02:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5950303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fromstars/pseuds/JakkuCrew
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anon prompted: <i>Can i please get some simple cuddling with this pairing please.</i></p><p>Yes. Yes, you can.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hold Me Close

**Author's Note:**

> This exists in some post-TFA timeline where Ben returned to the light and becomes a better person. Also Poe calls Ben "feo" at one point, which is Spanish for ugly, but my grandparents use it like a petname and it's too adorable to pass up here (trust me on this).

  
Mornings like these, Poe wakes up with his nose pressed between Ben’s shoulders, arm slung precariously over his waist. He smells wonderful - of nothing in particular, but something nice, and entirely Ben. Warm and heady when he breathes in.

In bed, their height difference is a little less noticeable. Ben often curls in on himself in his sleep, so their legs tangle and Ben’s thigh is pressed against Poe’s leg. Usually, Ben also hogs the covers — which is a _crime_ , if you ask Poe, because Ben is already the warmer of the two of them.

It’s the Force, he’s convinced. Light is warmth, and heat — stronger and brighter than anything else. Seeing Ben return to it has convinced him all the more of its power. Feeling it has also made him all the more convinced by Ben. It’s less like conflict or chaos dragging a struggling moth to its flames, and more like Ben and the light have begun to melt into each other. He’s more powerful, and yet needs less power. And though Poe would never credit himself with any of these changes, he knows that his initial willingness to reach out had helped. It’s Poe’s second gift: not forgiveness or dismissal, but the drive to be proven right when he can see someone’s potential.

He’s always right, when the conviction takes a hold of him.

When Poe finally opens his eyes, he presses a kiss to Ben’s spine, admiring the way the muscles in his shoulders cut elegant, strong lines. In his bed, Ben is a small star system — constellations drawn against his shoulder and chest in dark freckles, and gravity nearly inescapable. Not that Poe wants to try to break away first thing in the morning.

And Ben — Ben never wants to leave a warm bed. When Poe nudges him gently, he makes a guttural noise that Poe thinks might actually be a reply Wookie, but isn’t sure. A second nudge earns him a whine that confirms Ben is stirring. It almost makes him feel guilty for nudging Ben into a better spot.

 _Almost_.

“Roll over,” Poe directs, hand gently pulling at Ben’s waist. He bites his lip to stifle a laugh when Ben sighs loudly and acquiesces, rolling half on top of him. They’re both pretty sturdy and more muscle than anything else, but Ben is heavy and tall, making him just shy of suffocating.

“Ass,” Poe says contentedly as Ben continued to grumble against his neck, protesting daylight. Eventually, Poe will have to bribe him to get up with a cup of caf, but until then, he’s happy to have Ben groggily flop an arm over his chest and sigh against his ear.

“—Frillin’ laserbrain,” Ben huffs, burying his face into Poe’s shoulder. He curls into Poe, pressing his hand against Poe’s side as he moves closer.

“Lumrunning idiot,” Poe returns without missing a beat. But like his first insult, it has no venom. Between the two of them, nothing really does anymore. It helps that Ben’s now saved his life more times than he’s put it in danger.

It takes a long moment, but Ben finally moves just enough to ensure Poe isn’t smothered. When he finishes settling, Poe ruffles his hair, eliciting a pleased rumbling noise from Ben which is definitely Wookie. Poe doesn’t speak it himself, but context matters when speaking Wookie, and he understands the sentiment. He’s also pretty sure he agrees with it.

A long minute passes before Poe breaks the silence again. “Eventually we gotta get up,” he says, thinking of the midmorning drills he’s supposed to be leading with his squadrons.

“That sounds like a terrible idea,” Ben complains against Poe’s shoulder. He wrinkles his nose, before idly tracing circles over Poe’s skin. Sometimes, when he begins ghosting his fingers over Poe, Poe thinks he recognizes a pattern. Star coordinates or Aurebesh letters, usually, but this morning, Poe suspects it might be the shape of a caf mug that he’s tracing over his ribcage over and over again. Typical.

“It sounds like the only way we’ll get breakfast before my squadron eats everything,” Poe retorts, pulling back just far enough to kiss Ben awkwardly on the crown of his head.

“I know we have another hour,” Ben says, “Your droid hasn’t even started yelling at us through the door yet.”

“Beebee-Ate wouldn’t have to if you’d wake up at a decent hour.”

Ben scoffs. “This hour isn’t even civilized, much less decent. Nothing this early ever is.”

“ _Feo_ , if you got up earlier, that’s a _promise,"_ Poe says, knowing even under-caffeinated he could be swayed to the idea of some morning indecencies. "But since you’re so intent on sleeping in…” he adds, trailing a suggestive line down Ben’s hip. Ben shivers, then sighs, knowing he’s been defeated.

When he leans up this time, it’s to kiss Poe good morning, briefly sharing some of the pressing heat of his lips. It’s hard not to laugh, because Ben’s still half asleep, and Poe can feel the effort he’s putting into keeping his eyes closed and ignoring the lights in the room. Naturally, Ben finds his chin before he finds his mouth, mostly because he’s just that stubborn. Poe’s stubble is rough against Ben’s cheek but neither of them are terribly concerned for the moment.

They lose a few minutes to just that — being wrapped up in each other while Ben tries to stave off the day with his kisses. Eventually, though Poe finally breaks away and nudges Ben in the shoulder, pushing him up.

“C’mon, we gotta hit the fresher,” he says, still ignoring Ben’s grunt as his back hits the mattress. “If you don’t get up now, I’ll just use up all the hot water in the shower,” Poe threatens lightly, tearing back the covers on the bed. Ben yelps at the cold air, and mutters something under his breath about pilots. It’s not totally fair — Poe isn’t especially a morning person, he’s just disciplined enough to wake up for it. A fine distinction Ben doesn't believe in. 

“Alright, alright,” Ben manages. “I’m getting up— you hot water _fiend_.”

Poe smiles. Mornings like these, he wouldn't trade for anything. 

 


End file.
